Dog defends owner against rabid raccoon during Poconos hike

BUSHKILL, Pennsylvania – Officials said a hiker in the Poconos Mountains, Pennsylvania, was attacked by a rabid racoon and defended by his dog, who had removed the varmint.

A spokeswoman for the Delaware Water Gap Recreation Center said the raccoon "came out of nowhere" and snuck into the legs of this 60-year-old man. Kathleen Sandt told LehighValleyLive.com that the man was hiking. He fell and was bitten several times by the raccoon.

She says that the man's black lab, Fasha, went into action, removing the animal from the owner and immobilizing it.

The dog, named after the dog of Arlo Guthrie's song "Alice's Restaurant," was not injured during the January 28 attack. The raccoon carcbad has been tested positive for rabies. The man was looked after.